Is it clean? or just disinfected?

Is it clean? or just Disinfected?

By Alan Perry
rev 10/14/2017

     Your employer, EMS instructor, training officer or partner has told you all that you need is to wipe down the equipment, handrails and cot with the de-funkicide wipes in the cabinet and everything will be fine. That might be, but your unit certainly won’t be clean. Actually cleaning all of the surfaces and equipment in your rig will require the use of something a little stronger along the lines of a commercial cleaning product like 409, dish soap and water, Simple Green, or my favorite industrial degreaser - Purple stuff. That grey-black greasy crap stuck in the folds of the vinyl seats, armrest, floor and other dingy looking areas harbors not only filth, but also the very bacteria and viruses the funky-wipes were supposed to kill. They are still there because they are now protected within that gooey mess and may actually be sustained by living in it. A good degreaser will break that stuff down and allow you to more completely clean not only the pathogens away but also years of accumulated crud.

      Most anti-bacterial wipes, bleach solutions and other “disinfecting” cleaning products that we use for making our EMS equipment safe do in fact kill nearly all bacteria and viruses that can potentially infect us or our patients if used consistently and appropriately. It is nearly impossible to apply such products to every possible surface that may be contaminated after every single call, add to that the fact that the majority of these products contain no detergent properties and you end up with a gradual and perceptible buildup of oils, dead skin, hair, dirt and organic matter on floors, walls, seats and crevices. I’m sure you have all seen it, that brown-grey material that builds up in the lines and seams of the vinyl seats, that grey-black dusty looking stuff built up under the hinged arms of the stretcher arm rest, and the stuff around the floor plates where the stretcher wheels rest. It is also present in some places we don’t always look like the radio microphone, steering wheel, monitors and stethoscopes.

     Let us also consider some other overlooked special hiding places; How about tape? Leaving it hanging about all during the shift(s) acting like some kind of microscopic fly trap catching little bits of dirt, airborne contaminants, germs and bacteria is just not a good idea. Neither is taking it from its resting place and placing it in close proximity or contact with a fresh wound our IV site. There's also the residue left on rails and seats that most providers seem content to leave were it is because its hard to clean off. This residue also collects the same contaminants that the grey goo does. It usually takes a hydrocarbon based cleaner like mineral spirits or Goo-Gone to remove it, but it really needs to go. Back of the truck clean? check! Now how about the cab and the compartments?  These areas deserve the same scrutiny the patient care area receives for the same reasons as well as your personal welfare.

     So I sound like some kind of clean zealot right? This isn’t just about EMS acquired infections, it is also about pride in what you do and caring about how your customers, the families and other public safety personnel view you. I believe you can tell a lot about an individual’s character and values by how well they maintain their professional work environment; it speaks to their commitment to doing a good job and presenting themselves and the organization in a positive light. It should not matter how old and well-loved your equipment is, it will certainly look better if it sparkles, and so will you.

Be Safe,